Leeds United: Rosler chases winger

Leeds United Head Coach Uwe R�sler, chats to the media, during training at the club training camp in Kossen, Austria. '(Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

Phil Hay

Published:11:52Tuesday 21 July 2015

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Leeds United head coach Uwe Rosler has reiterated his plan to add a winger to his squad, saying the club want “at least one more thing” from the summer transfer market.

Rosler said the addition of natural wide players was still a priority for him with the first game of the new Championship season two-and-a-half weeks away.

Leeds have signed six players since the end of last season, including strikers Chris Wood and Lee Erwin, but wingers have been elusive despite Rosler’s preferred 4-3-3 formation depending on players in that role.

United made enquiries about Bastia’s Floyd Ayite and Catania’s Raphael Martinho - a Brazilian who owner Massimo Cellino look at last year - earlier this month but are reluctant to meet their current valuations.

Rosler, who is on tour with his players in Austria and preparing for his first season in charge, said Leeds were not “panicking” and insisted he would look for potential options within his squad while he waited for a breakthrough.

“There are areas where we want to improve,” he said. “There’s not everything here.

“Our financial framework is restricted but we still want to do at least one more thing. In some areas we are very light, especially when you talk about wanting to play with width and three up front, but we knew that. We are not panicking.

“We know there is work to do and maybe there are players in our squad who can go in a position where they can do a job.”

Rosler has been analysing his squad for the past three weeks and he will give Casper Sloth - the Dane signed from Aarhus for £600,000 last summer - a chance to play on the left wing in tonight’s friendly against Eintracht Frankfurt.

The German insisted again that he was pleased with his signings so far, saying: “You hope that you have a bit of input in recruitment and I’ve said many times that I’m happy.

“Ultimately the final decision - like it is not only at Leeds but at many clubs - is with the owner but I have a good input and that makes me happy. You can see what sort of players we’ve brought in.”

United’s boss still expects departures from Elland Road, warning that the presence of too many fringe players in his squad would “create unhappiness”.

Rosler left forward Nicky Ajose behind in England when Leeds flew out to Austria last weekend. Billy Sharp made the trip but Sheffield United are still interested in signing him and Rosler has admitted previously that he has an excess of strikers in his squad.

“We’ll see, maybe one or two players will be going,” Rosler said. “What I don’t want is a massive squad because that will create unhappiness. When some players can’t see a chance to be in the squad or starting games, that makes it difficult.

“We don’t have a massive squad now but obviously in some areas we have too many players.”